Hi, Junko from Japan here! What does NEZUKO’s name mean in Japanese? It’s a very unusual name, and it’s hard to grasp its meaning even for us Japanese.
To put it simply, Kanji symbols in NEZUKO stand for “father’s tomb,” “bean,” and “child.” The author of Demon Slayer is widely informed about Kanji characters and old family names. So I believe Kanji symbols for Nezuko were not selected randomly but were carefully chosen and given some meanings behind them. What’s the secret meaning behind them? Let’s start to decipher it with me!
The Meanings of NEZUKO’s Kanji Symbols
NE – Father’s Tomb
This is a super-duper difficult Kanji letter to read. Honestly, I have never seen this symbol until I read Demon Slayer. The origin of the NE Kanji is the “tomb of one’s father.” I think what we should focus on is that it’s not a mother’s tomb but a father’s tomb. As you know, Tanjiro and Nezuko’s father was a successor of the Hinokami Kagura, which is essential to defeating Muzan. I guess this NE symbol is kind of a hint for the fact that Nezuko’s lineage on the father’s side is an important factor in the story.
ZU – Bean
ZU means a bean. In Japan, we have a traditional custom of throwing beans to wipe Oni demons away.
It’s called SETSUBUN and is a common annual event in Japan. Adults put on demon masks and little kids enjoy throwing beans!
Beans have the power to drive Oni demons away. Nezuko’s parents may have given her this Kanji symbol with a wish that she wouldn’t be attacked by demons. Or it may imply that Nezuko herself is an important element in demolishing demons.
KO – Child
means a child and is a very common character for girl names.
For example, my first name JUNKO also has the KO at the end of it. We can see many other names with KO, like YUKO, KEIKO, MICHIKO, and things like that.
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What Is TANJIRO’s Name Meaning in Japanese?
What Does ZENITSU Mean in Japanese? The Hidden Meaning Behind His Name
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Good luck 🙂